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…The DSS has now said that it receivedofficial letter of instruction from the Presidency dated July 5, 2019 upon which it acted to arrest Okolie.

The Department of State Services has said that the unlawful arrest and detention of a young Nigerian businessman based in Asaba, Delta State, Anthony Okolie, was ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Okolie was arrested at Asaba and later transferred to the DSS Headquarters in Abuja where he was unlawfully detained for at least 10 weeks for purchasing and using an MTN mobile telephone line previously used but abandoned by Hanan, President Buhari’s daughter.

Okolie, through his lawyer, has since sued the DSS, Hanan and MTN for the breach of his fundamental human rights.

He had earlier revealed that DSS officials informed him that Hanan ordered his arrest and that she was contacted three times to back up her claims but failed to show up, prompting the secret police to release the young businessman.

But in twist of events, the DSS has now said that it received official letter of instruction from the Presidency dated July 5, 2019 upon which it acted to arrest Okolie.

In an affidavit deposed to at the Federal High Court, Asaba, where the case is being heard, the DSS said Okolie’s purchase and use of the MTN mobile telephone line formerly belonging to Hanan, was a “classified national security issue” upon which basis the security outfit had no option than to arrest Okolie.

Reacting to the latest development, Okolie’s lawyer, Tope Akinyode, National President of Revolutionary Lawyer’s Forum, said, “The Nigerian constitution made no provision of any kind for first family and the involvement of the Presidency in the matter was a disgraceful deployment of state apparatus for personal gains.”

Meanwhile telecommunications company, MTN, has argued that it did not transfer absolute right of ownership of the SIM card to Okolie because it was a national asset, which cannot be personalised.

The matter is scheduled to come up on March 3 before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba for hearing. (Sahara Reporters)

Those who listened to NNAMDI KANU’s radio Biafra broadcast on Saturday 21st December, (3 days before Sowore was released) which he broadcasted from America, will be shocked not just on Sowore’s release, but NNAMDI KANU’s insider knowledge and connection to international power brokers.

While trying to explain the unworkability of Nigeria as a country and the hopelessnes of believing in one Nigeria, sighting Afghanistan and the recent America-Afghan war as a case study, KANU said ” I’m saying this because Sowore will soon be released, we have done a lot of works on his behalf, and soonest they will release him. They will have no other option than to release him. It doesn’t matter what DSS does. And I advice him to leave one Nigeria and fight for his people” .

Just three days after his broadcast, and uncanny prediction, surprise surprise, Sowore was unconditionally released by DSS. This goes not only to show that KANU knows more than the Nigerian government, but also has contacts and connection of foreign powers that be.

So many Nigerians, socio-cultural organisations have reacted to the sudden release of Sambo Dasuki, Omoyele Sowore in a fashion not reminiscent of the tyrannical tendencies of Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his blatant disobedience of several court orders from Nigerian courts and ECOWAS courts.

Buhari has refused and disobeyed court orders to release Sambo Dasuki in the ast four year, in what many think was based on simple personal grievances with Buhari.

Activist and convener of the RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, in the evening of Tuesday, December 24, was released alongside Col. Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser.

Dasuki was seen here for the first time in four years reunited with his family praying and being hugged by family members.

Dasuki has been detained under the pretence which Buhari and his cabal called “threat to national security” a term usually used by tyrants to detain opposition or someone they fear and used to obfuscate the unsuspecting public.

Buhari met the new United States Ambasssdor and it was alleged that she ordered President Muhammadu Buhari to release all political and religious prisoners or he and his regime may face serious consequences from the international community. Few days before the release of these men, the United Congressmen have addressed a serious worded letter to the Nigerian Attorney General, Mr Abubakar Mallami urging him to respect the rule of law and democratic tenets of Nigeria and release Omoyele Sowore.

Mrs Mary Beth Leonard in the conversation with Buhari who sounded very traumatised said that ” the recent listing of Nigeria for human rights concerns created an impression that some people were being unfarily treated or marginalised in the country. I know that those with access have created an impression of being marginalised, but I sit here with clear conscience and I took an oath and I am honouring the office”.

Ambbassador Mary, who was not deterred told Buhari that “Nigeria was listed in the watch list to deepen the conversation on humanitarian situation in the country, especially with religious leaders and mediators”

Many would observe that Buhari’s government has overseen thousands of deaths of mostly Christians in the hands of Fulani herdsmen, who are largely Muslims. He dragged his feet and refused to designate the group as terrorists but rushed to proscribe the Biafran group IPOB as terrorists. Also, the Shiite group led by Sheikh El-Zakyzaky whose crime was only a religious march, which allegedly blocked the passage of Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur J. Buratai.

It is obvious that the United States have over time observed the trends in the tyrannical administration of Muhammadu Buhari and has decided that it is time to address his dictatorship and stiffling of religious rights of Christians and Shiites group in Nigeria.

The United States Congressman Chris Smith earlier yesterday said that “Buhari must account for all the killings by Fulani herdsmen”. This is a very serious matter that could take international dimension if care is not taken. Buhari could be brought to international court to give account of the killings by Fulani herdsmen and state what measures his government took to check on their activities, if any.

Some Nigerians have expressed their feelings about how the man they have seen as a tyrant, who doesn’t bow to court orders or the judiciary, rather have this arrogant attitude towards them has bowed to little pressure from the United States.

The question is would Buhari begin now to turn a new leaf or go back to his old ways? But it seems the new Ambassador of the United States is one who will not let Buhari behave as he has been doing in his last four years as a tyrant

The news of the Arrest Of Journalist , Chido Onumah, by men of the Department of State Service (DSS) on Sunday unsettled the media space and Vanguard can now confirm the real reason the author of the book, We Are All Biafrans was arrested and released after hours.

Upon arrival at Abuja airport 4pm on Sunday, Onumah spent sometime clearing his luggage and was expected to have dinner with a friend. He was waiting to confirm the venue of his appointment when a DSS official walked up to him, flashed his ID card and told him he was to be questioned in connection with a planned protest.

Onumah, who was wearing a T-shirt with the inscription, WE ARE ALL BIAFRANS, which happened to be the title of his new book, was led to the DSS office at Central Abuja.During interrogation, he was asked why he was holding a Nigerian passport and he confidently replied that “I am Nigerian.”

The DSS officials queried why he was putting on the vest with the inscription, which he answered by telling them that was the titled of his new book. Onumah further told the DSS officials that he had more vests in his bag with the same inscription and won’t hesitate to wear either of them after leaving.

According to source, while at the DSS office, Onumah was reading a book while the officials ran a check on his profile. “That was when they discovered that he was more Nigerian as anyone can be.

“They (DSS) now told him (Onumah) that there was an intel they got about some people who were trying to cause unrest and he was picked because of the inscription on his shirt. They told him his shirt’s inscription could trigger an unrest and after much dilly daily, He Was Allowed To Take His Leave ,” the source said.

The former minister of aviation Femi Fani Kayode has questioned on why the DSS invite Uwazuruike following the video he released through social media concerning Fulani invasion of southerners through the name of livestock grazing implementations.

Kayode in his reaction revealed that there are people that need quick invitation from DSS not Massob leader (Ralf Uwazuruike).

Abdul Azeez Suleiman and the coalition of Northern groups who openly threaten the whole nation and Southerners mostly Igbo leaders with 30 days ultimatum following their disagreement over RUGA or livestock grazing implementations have a call to answer from DSS, he said.The former minister also questioned the silence of DSS since the group issue the ultimatum to the whole nation and also a particular tribe but too quick to invite uwazuruike after his video release.

Meanwhile kayode earlier reacted over cows and fulanis embedded in a page of the new Nigeria passports, he revealed that the embedded image is for spiritual and symbolic reasons.

It’s the same that Arabic words are embedded in the Nigeria coat of arms, and in the Nigerian army flag . He summarised with do you want to live in a Fulani controlled theocratic Islamist vasal State? He questioned.Few hours ago information revealed that the United States of America denied many Nigerians entrance into the country.What’s your opinion over this issue? (Biafrianewsmill)

Heavily fortified security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service have surrounded the premises of African Independent Television (AIT) after the station came back on air late Friday.

He decried the action saying the action of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service was an ‘unwarranted threat’ on AIT.

He explained that by 12.30 a.m. Saturday morning, the premises of DAAR Communications Plc was surrounded by security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.

He went further to say the “heavily fortified security operatives were carrying out surveillance on the premises,”

Mr Akiotu said this is “unusual” and the motive “unclear” but the sation will not be deterrd as “the station is still transmitting signals on its national and global beam,” adding that the action of the security operatives was “unwarranted threat” .

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, had granted an ex-parte order that restored the operating license of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Ray Power FM, which was earlier suspended by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC.

The court ordered both DAAR Communications Plc and NBC to revert to the status quo that was in existence as at May 30, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit before it. The order followed a suit the media establishment lodged to challenge the suspension of its operating licence on Thursday by the NBC.

The NBC had based its action on allegation that the media outfit breached its rules and regulations. Meanwhile, cited as Respondents in the suit the plaintiff filed through its lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, were the NBC, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

The plaintiff equally filed an affidavit of urgency, wherein it urged the court to quickly intervene in the matter. Out of three principal reliefs that DAAR Communications Plc sought in its motion ex-parte, the court declined to grant two of them.

Specifically, the plaintiff had sought to restrain the Respondents, its agents or privies, from interfering with its operations in any manner whatsoever, pending the determination of its application for injunctive reliefs. However, in his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said he was minded to grant the alternative relief to restore the status quo that was in existence as at when the matter was brought before the court for adjudication.

The court therefore issued, “An order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum as at 30th of May, 2019, pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application”. Justice Ekwo said he would not hesitate to sanction the plaintiff, if the court is later convinced that the order was made in error.

More so, the court ordered all the Respondents to appear before it on June 13, “to show cause why the prayers in the applicant’s motion should not be granted”. DAAR Communications Plc had in its affidavit of urgency that was deposed to by one Mr. Kelly Elisha, prayed the court to wade into the matter that led to NBC’s sanction against it.

“The timeous intervention by this Honourable Court is necessary to prevent irreparable damage from being done to the Plaintiff, thus foisting a situation of complete helplessness on this Honourable Court”, it pleaded. In the motion, the embattled media organisation sought for, “An order of interlocutory Injunction in favour of DAAR Communication Plc, the Plaintiff/Applicant (operators of African Independent Television (AIT), RAYPOWER 100.5 FM, FAJI FM and DARSAT), restraining the Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, operatives, servants and/or privies, howsoever called, from blocking, jamming, stopping, removing from air and/or interfering with the air waves of the Plaintiff/Applicant in any way and manner howsoever, in its broadcast and airing of news, views, documentaries, or any other legitimate broadcast material that is usually associated with television, radio or social media broadcast pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

As well as, “An order of interlocutory Injunction in favour of DAAR Communication Plc, the Plaintiff/Applicant (African Independent Television (AIT), RAYPOWER 100.5 FM, FAJI FM and DARSAT), restraining the Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, operatives, servants and/or privies, howsoever called from invading the premises of the Plaintiff/Applicant, or closing down, viet armis, the said premises, its operations or broadcast services, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”. As part of its grounds for making the application, the Plaintiff/Applicant, told the court that it was the first privately owned Independent Broadcasting Organisation in Nigeria, having been licensed to broadcast on television and radio since 1996.

“The Plaintiff/Applicant has in the best tenets and tradition of broadcast and in compliance with section 22 of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered, carried out its duties legally, legitimately, morally and nationalistically, in informing, educating and entertaining Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora on sundry matters, which activities have energized and contributed to national development and also nurtured, widened, deepened and strengthened democracy, rule of law, human rights and anti-corruption in Nigeria.

“Since the emergence of the present government, the Plaintiff/Applicant has been under its close surveillance and undue monitoring of its operations by the present government which wrongly believes that the Plaintiff/Applicant had been too supportive of the immediate past government.

“That sometimes on 16th April, 2019, agents of the Federal Government represented by the 1st Defendant, in a Gestapo- like- manner, attacked and pulled down the two gates leading to the Plaintiff/Applicant’s operational Headquarters which damage and destruction run into of hundreds of millions of naira.

“The Defendants and their agents have been writing series of letters with which they harassed and intimidated the Plaintiff over the contents of their broadcast, particularly of late, concerning its social media segment of its morning flagship broadcast show called KAKAKI (the African Voice). “Credible information just reaching the Plaintiff has it that the Defendants have concluded plans to invade and shut down the premises of the Plaintiff and/or part thereof, in the next few days. “Shutting down the broadcast services of the Plaintiff will deny majority of Nigerians access to information which is constitutionally guaranteed, and its teaming workers of their means of livelihood.

“That it is extremely urgent to hear and grant these prayers pending the hearing of the substantive suit, so as prevent irreparable damage which cannot be compensated for on monetary terms from being inflicted on the Plaintiff/Applicant”, it added. NGE condemns suspension of DAAR communications licences, demands reversal

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned the suspension of the licences of the African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and demanded its reversal. The NGE expressed its view in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

In the statement signed by President of the Guild, Mrs Funke Egbemode, the editors appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to use his good offices to call the NBC to order to revoke the suspension. The Guild demanded in clear terms the revocation of the suspension order as it runs contrary to the ideals of free speech and the fine tenets of press freedom.

The Department of State Services has warned those behind the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra to have a rethink or be prepared to face the consequences of their action.

According to the service, it is prepared to maintain adequate security across Nigeria, saying it will not allow any person or group to obstruct the freedom of law-abiding citizens.

Spokesperson for the DSS, Peter Afunnaya, said this in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, in Abuja, on Friday.

He was reacting to the May 30 sit-at-home order given by the IPOB in the South-East.

Afunnaya said, “The service will not condone people taking the law into their hands and obstructing the freedom of others. The constitution is clear on the fundamental human rights of people and no person should deliberately infringe on the rights of anyone outside the laws of the land.

“The service in the line of its mandate will ensure that adequate security is maintained in all parts of the country and people who take the law into the hands or cause the breakdown of law and order should be ready to face the consequences.”

He explained that for the avoidance of doubt, the warning applied to “all subversive elements” operating under any guise.

Meanwhile, the sit-at-home order by IPOB has continued to generate mixed reactions from some residents of Enugu State.

At Coal Camp motor spare parts market, the traders said though the market would open as directed by the state government, they would not be available for business.

A Toyota spare parts dealer, Monday Ngene, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he would obey the directive, though not as a member of the group but because of the reasons for it.

He said, “Our governors and the so-called leaders have failed to show the people leadership and direction. Therefore, since IPOB and other pro-Biafran movements have shown leadership, it is important to listen to them.

At Ogbete main market, another trader, who gave her name as Onyinye Ogbuabor, said she would go to the market, expressing the fear that she might not make good sales.

She said in the past when such directive was given, the market was usually open but customers and many traders wouldn’t come.

Mr Godwin Eze stated that he would go to work that day and his children would go to school.

“But you see, there is an issue here. Government doesn’t control transportation. In Enugu, public transport system is no longer functional. Most of the owners of the town service buses have a soft spot for the Biafran movement,” Eze added.

He believed that the success and failure of the order would largely depend on the availability of transport.

Also, the state Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Road Transport Workers promised that their members would be available to transport commuters to their various destinations.

The chairman of the state RTEAN, Chidebere Aniagu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that his members would go to work that day like any other day.

He said, “We have notified our members to be on their routes to service the people.”

His counterpart in the NURTW, Matthew Asogwa, was said to have directed his members to work on May 30.

In a related development, the police in the state advised parents and guardians to prevent their children and wards from being used by any person or group to threaten the peace and safety in the state.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, noted that the command would not fold its arms while anyone would foment trouble in the state.

“Those fanning the embers of any unlawful act of sit-at-home order on May 30, 2019 on law-abiding members of the public under any guise with a view to truncating the existing peace in the state will be fished out and be made to face the consequence of their act in line with the law,” he added.

Amaraizu said the state Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe, urged all to be law abiding and go about their lawful business in the state before, during and after May 30 without fear of any intimidation or molestation from anyone. (Punch)

The Coalition of United Political Parties on Wednesday alleged that the Department of State Services is tapping telephone conversations between members of the opposition in the country.

He said the conversations, which were mainly the opposition’s strategies for the forthcoming general elections, were being made available to the leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The coalition’s national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists.

He said, “We wish to express our shock and disappointment with the All Progressives Congress and unscrupulous security agencies who we discovered are tapping our leaders’ calls and leaking our electoral strategies.

“The opposition has uncovered the constant tapping of our calls and location marking by the APC, using the DSS.

“We are utterly disgusted at this shameless act. This administration has proved that nothing is sacred to them anymore.”

Ugochinyere, therefore, called on members of the opposition to abandon telephone conversations and adopt physical meetings or the Whatsapp platform.

But the DSS said there was no truth in the allegation.

It said the debate on the issue was unnecessary and the agency was not in the habit of eavesdropping on private conversations.

The Public Relations Officer of the agency, Mr Peter Afunanya, said this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

He said, “The social media is awash with wrong information of sorts, regarding the agency whose operations and activities are highly misunderstood and misrepresented.

“It is obvious that some merchants of violence are determined to use their platforms to misinform the public for their selfish and political ends. In this regard, the service warns that those bent on entrenching this mischief should be aware of the consequences of their misleading actions.

“The DSS is a responsible organisation and thus, professionally adheres to the ideals of intelligence and security governance expected of it in a democracy. The public is, therefore, urged to disregard the claims of the political group.” (Punch)

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